DFEi Life

Arts, Culture and History visits the National Maritime Museum

Learners from the Arts, Culture and History course visited Dún Laoghaire’s National Maritime Museum on Tuesday October 1st. They learned about the history and evolution of the lifeboats connected with Dún Laoghaire including the tragic sinking of the “RMS Leinster” by a German U-Boat on the 10th October 1918 and the beginning of the construction of Dún Laoghaire Harbour in 1815. Through this live learning experience learners discovered that the town was renamed Kinsgton in honour of the visit of King George IV in 1982, but later reverted to Dún Laoghaire in 1920 as Ireland moved towards independence.

Graduation and Presentation of Awards 2013

DFEi held its annual Graduation and presentation of Awards ceremony at the Royal Marine Hotel on Thursday 10th October 2013. Over 300 learners graduated and certificates were presented by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD. The CEO of the newly formed Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB), Mr Paddy Lavelle, Leas Cathaoirleach Donal Marren, local TD Mary Mitchell O’Connor, local Councillors Donna Pierce, Carrie Smith and Denis O’Callaghan, members of both the DDLETB board and the DFEi’s BOM were also in attendance. Graduates and guests were entertained by a four piece music ensemble made up of staff and learners.

by Gemma Leigh

On Tuesday 15th October, several courses from DFEi were lucky enough to avail of a tour of Google’s Irish headquarters, Gordon House which has 13 floors. Each floor is themed differently with its own “mini” kitchen, from “upside down” where the lights are on the floor and tables on the roof to a “soda-lab” where employees make their own minerals. Google also provides a gym and swimming pool for all employees and our tour guide Therese described how Google really look after their employees.

Emma Curry sings with Kodaline

Emma Curry, who graduated from DFEi’s HND in Music Production in October 2013, sang with Kodaline on their recent main stage Electric Picnic performance. This photograph was taken after their new video was 9 completed. Kodaline are Ireland’s hottest act at the moment.

Sustainable Technology Field Trip to Wicklow Community College

Learners from the Advanced Certificate in Conservation and Sustainable Technology course put theory into practice when they took part in a renewable energy field trip to Wicklow Community College. This College was opened in 2012 and was purpose built with various renewable energy technologies incorporated into the design. This renewable energy field trip was vital so that learners could gain an understanding of how to assess a site’s energy potential and an appreciation of how to choose suitable and feasible renewable energy systems to reduce the energy load.

Gurteen 2013

The Advanced Certificate in Animal Health Care travelled to Gurteen in February as part of a 6 week work placement programme. Gurteen is the largest agricultural farm in the country and is situated in Co Tipperary. Learners from DFEi avail of a week’s residential experience which is hands on and very interactive. They also experienced many different large animals and equine breed. Learners were specifically introduced to the health and safety surrounding farm animals.

RTE’s Craft Master

Two graduates from the Advanced Certificate in Furniture Design and Making, Kristian Doherty and Evan Kelly appeared in RTE’s Craft Master 2012. This series was recently aired on TV and RTE Player. Kristian and Evan worked for 6 days with furniture maker Michael Bell in his studio creating their own unique pieces of wood. Evan had the unique concept of creating a mobile phone rechargeable stand from wood, while Kristian created a modern twist on the traditional hall table. Both were great ambassadors for DFEi.

Annual Trip to Glendalough

The annual DFEi Student Council trip to Glendalough took place on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October 2013. Representatives from all courses at DFEi were invited to attend the weekend as part of the annual team building exercise. The group travelled to Glendalough in DFEi’s mini bus and all took part in team building games with balloons, blindfolds, bamboo cane, gutter pieces and tennis balls. The group then embarked on a gentle hike through the valley and some of the more adventurous participants chose to try out tree climbing with harnesses and ropes. It was back then to the hostel for spaghetti Bolognese and chilli. The group then participated in a workshop which consisted of a drum circle with African drums. Some serious drummers showed off their skills and others made a great effort to keep the beat.

Urban Clearing wins a Silver Medal in Bloom, June 2013

A joint initiative between DFEi and SCD won a Silver Medal in Bloom 2013. “Urban Clearing”, a concept garden created by Anne Whelan and her team, is an exploration of a woodland clearing, stylised to sit

within the context of an urban garden. The intended purpose of the garden is to allow escapism from the urban jungle to allow rest and solitude. The viewer can catch a view between the trees to an enclosed space, flooded with dappled light where a soft seat is ideally placed close to the ground.

Visual Design Exhibition 2013

DFEi’s annual Visual design Exhibition opened on the 4th June 2013. The showcase hosted project work from Furniture Design and Making, Architectural Technology and Design, Animal Care, Sound Engineering and night Photography students. This event is one of the highlights of the academic calendar as it was the culmination of learners achievements for 2012/2013. It also gave family and friends an opportunity to view all the design concepts and to see firsthand exactly what DFEi Life has been about for the last academic year.

WorldSkills Competition 2013

Darren Barber from Co Sligo was selected to represent Ireland in the Cabinetmaking Trade at the WorldSkills Competition held in Leipzig, Germany in July 2013. Darren completed a ten week special training programme in DFEi under the guidance of Declan Barrett, Chief Examiner of National Skills in Cabinetmaking prior to the Competition. During the competition Darren had to make a piece of furniture from a detailed set of drawings over four days, competing against cabinetmakers from 23 countries. Darren preformed exceptionally well at the competition and finished in 9th position.

€830.25 was raised forthe Haijan disaster in the Philippines

A total of €830.25 was raised through a raffle and bring and buy cake sale, with all proceeds going to the Haiyan disaster in the Philippines. This fundraiser was organised by the Students Council and turned out to be a great success as both the learners and teachers combined their talents and time for this cause. DFEi always have a large number of Filipino students attending courses and this year is no exception. Collectively DFEi would like to extend our sympathy and support to these students.

Lions Club Pack Hampers for the needy in DFEi

The Dún Laoghaire Lions Club used the facilities at DFEi to prepare, pack and distribute over 500 hampers to the needy in the area as part of their Christmas 2013 campaign. The Dún Laoghaire Lions Club is in its 44th year of dedicated service to the community and conduct many fund raising events including this Annual Christmas Food Appeal. Pictured here are some of the volunteers who gave of their time to help those in need. DFEi is delighted to be associated with this annual event.

€1,000 Raised for the DSPCA

The Animal Health Care Department held its annual sponsored “dog walk” to raise funds for the DSPCA in May 2013. The dogs took the learners for a stroll down Dún Laoghaire Pier. The event was a great success with over €1,000 presented to Annette Kelly from the DSCPA by Craig Doyle on behalf of the learners at DFEI.